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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: snap · craft · cue · firm · kick · present · rush · wound

  1. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. cue — a signal
  2. firm — a company
  3. firm — decided
  4. craft — a skill
  5. cue — for pool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. cue — a hint
  8. present — the time now
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. craft — boats
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. snap — to click
  15. kick — in football
  16. wound — an injury
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. wound — an injury
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. rush — hurry
  24. firm — steady

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com